Fragrance comparison

Alchimie vs Desiderio

Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.

Updated 12 Oct 2026 1,937 ratings analysed

Alchimie

Rochas

4.211,920 votes

Rank #376 FruitySweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

48%scent match

Some overlap

3 wins

Desiderio

Paolo Gigli

4.3517 votes

Rank #32,787 VanillaSweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Desiderio takes 3 of 5 categories.

Alchimie
Choose it for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on ratings & consensus and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.
Desiderio
Choose it for a vanilla and sweet character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Alchimie2/5

Desiderio3/5

Ratings & consensus: Alchimie
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Desiderio
Sillage & projection: Desiderio
Value for money: Desiderio
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Alchimie

Head-to-head breakdown

Every category side by side, with the winner called out.

Fragrance

AlchimieRochas

DesiderioPaolo Gigli

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.21/ 5 · 1,920 votes

Have 52%Had 48%Want 0%

4.35/ 5 · 17 votes

Have 28%Had 14%Want 58%

Category winnerAlchimieRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

51%Love

39%Like

2%Ok

8%Dislike

0%Hate

1,736 votes

71%Love

12%Like

0%Ok

18%Dislike

0%Hate

17 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity77

〰 Sillage70

♥ Love / hate83

⏱ Longevity82

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate84

Category winners

LongevityDesiderio

SillageDesiderio

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value47

¤ Price value65

Category winnerDesiderioBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fruity100%

sweet92%

vanilla84%

floral77%

powdery69%

soft spicy61%

vanilla100%

sweet92%

fruity84%

amber77%

tropical69%

citrus61%

Scent match48%Some overlap · both fruity, sweet and vanilla

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared

Top

PeachPlumLilacPearBlack CurrantCassiaHiacynthMandarin Orange

Heart

Black locustWisteriaCoconutHeliotropeJasmineRoseLily-of-the-Valley

Base

CaramelVanillaTonka BeanSandalwoodAmberLicoriceMusk

Top15-30 mins

Mandarin OrangeLemon

Heart2-4 hrs

PeachPassionfruitCoconut

Base8-12 hrs

Tonka BeanVanillaAmber

InformationalShared notesPeach, Mandarin Orange, Coconut and Vanilla. Durations are only published for Desiderio, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring45

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring75

Summer100

Fall50

Winter0

Day100

Night70

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex4

Women96

Men20

Unisex50

Women30

Casual 34%Party 31%Date 25%Work 10%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#376

PerfumerJacques Cavallier Belletrud

Launched—

Reviews163

Overall rank#32,787

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews1

Category winnerAlchimieHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Alchimie by Rochas is an oriental floral fragrance for women that blends fruit, spice, and resins. It opens with a bright mix of peach, plum, and citrus before settling into a warm, powdery base of vanilla, caramel, and tonka bean. This 1998 classic remains a sought-after piece for those who enjoy sophisticated, sweet…

Reviews →

Paolo Gigli Desiderio opens with a sudden splash of tart lemon and juicy mandarin orange. The citrus bursts loud and bright. Within twenty minutes, luscious peach flesh and tangy passionfruit join a milky coconut accord to form a sun-drenched fruit profile. The scent does not stay purely tropical, however. A dense fou…

Reviews →

InformationalRead bothTaste is personal

How we score: ratings blend public fragrance ratings with Fragranxe member votes; longevity, sillage, value and sentiment are community vote scores, and season bars are relative to each fragrance's strongest season. Categories with too little data are shown but not scored. The scent match weighs accord overlap (60%) and shared notes (40%). More in the FAQ.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Alchimie or Desiderio?

Desiderio takes 3 of 5 categories. Alchimie is rated 4.21/5 from 1,920 votes; Desiderio is rated 4.35/5 from 17 votes. Choose Alchimie for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on ratings & consensus and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter. Choose Desiderio for a vanilla and sweet character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Alchimie or Desiderio?

Desiderio lasts longest (Desiderio 82/100, Alchimie 77/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Alchimie or Desiderio?

Desiderio projects furthest (Desiderio 75/100, Alchimie 70/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Alchimie and Desiderio smell similar?

Some overlap: a 48% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fruity, sweet and vanilla accords. Common notes include Peach, Mandarin Orange, Coconut and Vanilla.

Is Alchimie or Desiderio better for summer or winter?

Desiderio suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Alchimie and Desiderio?

Alchimie has top notes of Peach, Plum, Lilac and Pear, heart notes of Black locust, Wisteria, Coconut and Heliotrope, a base of Caramel, Vanilla, Tonka Bean and Sandalwood. Desiderio has top notes of Mandarin Orange and Lemon, heart notes of Peach, Passionfruit and Coconut, a base of Tonka Bean, Vanilla and Amber.